


I Know What's Wrong

by Angelicat2



Series: Something's Wrong [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Concerned Shiro (Voltron), Flashbacks, Gen, M/M, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse, Past Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Protective Team, Season/Series 01, scared keith, scared shiro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-14 23:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16050884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelicat2/pseuds/Angelicat2
Summary: Keith has a major panic attack when the team has their food goo fight. Turns out, past issues stay with you for a long time.





	I Know What's Wrong

**Author's Note:**

> You may want to read **What's Wrong** to understand why Keith gets a big panic attack. If you don't want to read it, just know that a teacher at the Garrison ended up abusing Keith for awhile until Shiro found out.

Keith sighed tiredly as he settled into the chair. Today wasn't going well at all. No matter what they tried, they could not form Voltron. They had stacked up on each other with their lions, trained with bots and the gladiator, and did some mind-mending. Nothing worked. Nothing sparked their ability to connect to the large mecha like they had first done. Keith was exhausted beyond anything he'd ever felt before. 

He had to trend forward carefully. For some reason, his issues were triggered much easier if he was tired. Running a hand through his sweaty hair, he risked a quick glance at his best friend on the other side of the table. Shiro seemed okay, if not a little pained, but fine otherwise. The three others were just as tired as he was, faces flat and bodies sagging as sleep clawed into their brains.

Soon, Coran moved the dishes aside, leaving behind ones filled with green goo stuff. Some other plates had purple cubes that seemed to be made from the same stuff. Keith assumed it was just food for them and went to pick up his fork.

Something snapped out suddenly and clamped down on his wrists as he dropped his silverware in surprise. Taking deep breaths in, he calmed down enough to see white handcuffs on his arms. A blue light connected his to the next person's -Pidge and Lance, his mind added- as the group protested. Tugging his right hand, Keith felt his fear rise when the limb wouldn't move much. In fact, at the same time, his other limb was pulled the opposite direction against his will. Keith could feel his panic growing as his chest tightened. Memories flashed through his mind as hands pinned him down. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't make a sound as his vision went dark.

His chest hurt. He couldn't move. Hands had him pinned down on the floor as a body pressed down on him. He wanted to fight the hold. He wanted to try getting free. But no breath would leave his lungs as he felt terror crash into his body in waves. He felt shaky as his skin crawled like thousands of ants were on it. The pressure on his wrists burned like fire on wood as he stayed frozen in place. 

Shiro. Where was Shiro...He needed Shiro. Shiro could help. Shiro was safe. Where was Shiro?!?

…..

Shiro was tired as he sat down to the table. Coran had them at the table in order by height so the older paladin was on the far end with Hunk right next to him. Shiro was also hungry, but didn't say anything as he glanced around. He was used to not getting much food. Had been for the past year or so.

He gazed at Hunk. The Yellow Paladin seemed okay, if not a little nervous as to be expected from getting stuck into a war and training all day long. On his side, Lance sat there with a frown on his face and a tired look to his eyes. Past him was Keith who looked fine except for being utterly frustrated at their lack of success. On his right was the youngest who also looked hungry, inspecting the table and its occupants.

Just as the older Altean pulled some dishes away from the table, something snapped onto Shiro's wrists. Panicking as memories of red-lighted cuffs being put on his arms came up, Shiro slowly took a few deep, shaky breaths in. He was okay. He wasn't back with them. He was safe in the castle. He was back with a new team and two should-be-extinct Alteans and four mice and Kei-

Oh, no...Keith!

Whipping his head to his best friend, he didn't like what he saw at all. Keith was sitting there in the chair. He was much too pale as his breathing began to pick up to a much too quick pace. His usually large eyes were the size of dots as he stared at his lap unseeingly. He was shaking some, but strangely, not enough to get anyone paying attention to him. Other than that, he was completely still in place like he couldn't move.

Flashback. Panic attack. It had to have been...his mind must have thought he was back with the teacher at the Garrison. The handcuffs had to have triggered the memories from nearly two years ago.

“Princess,” Shiro spoke as he stared at her with his own panic bubbling up into his chest, “Let us go. This is not the way to do this.”

“If it helps you form Voltron,” she stared at them not unkindly as she went on, “Then we will be here all day.”

“Maybe we should take a break,” he pleaded as her brow twitched with irritation, “We've all been working hard.”

“Is that all you Earthlings do is complain and take breaks?”

Shiro heard someone in the group mention something, but he didn't listen as he leaned over to stare at his friend. Keith was almost paperwhite now as he continued to panic. It took a few seconds to realize that Keith's breastplate wasn't moving, and a little longer to notice that Keith himself wasn't breathing. 

“Allura!” Shiro cut through the complaints of the other three as he growled at her, demanding the Altean's attention, “Let us out of these handcuffs now or we won't be able to form Voltron at all.”

Allura frowned in confusion before her eyes widened as they landed on Keith. Shiro saw her move her mouth, gulp, and then say something to Coran who pressed a button on the remote that helped trap them in the first place. The handcuffs quickly fell off as Shiro threw himself from his chair. Rushing to Keith, he knelt in front of the other as he heard the others shout in protest. Barely noticing the three standing in front of them protectively, Shiro focused all of his attention on the younger friend. 

Keith was still shaking as tears gathered in his eyes. He still wasn't breathing as his face took on an off color. His pupils were so big that none of his violet color was left in his irises.

“Keith,” Shiro placed his hands on Keith's upper arms carefully, “It's okay. You're safe. It's me, Shiro. Come on, buddy. Come on, Keith.”

He continued. After a few seconds, Keith's eyes seemed more aware of his words even though he had yet to breathe. 

“Breathe with me,” Shiro whispered as Keith took a tiny bit of air in, “That's it. Another one. Come on. You can do it. I know you can, Keith.”

The younger let out a few choked gasps before they started to come out at a more regular pace, getting more steady as time went on. Before he knew it, dark eyes were staring at him exhaustedly.

“Sh-Shiro?” Keith blinked before he all but collapsed into the older's arms. Shiro caught him in time with a surprised yelp as he slowly lowered them all the way to the floor so they were sitting.

“Sorry,” Keith apologized as he buried his face into Shiro's neck. Shiro let him as he gathered the other in his arms. 

“No need to apologize,” Shiro reassured him softly, “It happens.”

He felt Keith nod slightly as warm breath tickled his neck. He hated how this was happening to his best friend. 

“I am the one who should be sorry,” Allura spoke up as she smiled softly at them, “I should not have pushed you so hard.”

“It's okay,” Keith rasped from his spot on Shiro's lap, “Didn't know.”

Shiro wasn't sure if the younger man was referring to the princess not knowing or Keith himself not being aware that the cuffs would trigger old memories. Shiro hadn't even thought of it in all that time, and he actually had known Keith's history.

“If anything good came out of this,” the orange-haired man spoke from near the head of the table, “You have worked as a team.”

Blinking, Shiro glanced at the others as they looked back in surprise. Even Keith joined in as they all gaped. Right in front of them, Lance and Hunk were off to the sides with their bayards in hand, ready to use them if needed. Pidge stood in the middle, katar taser out as she stood defensively like the two Alteans would attack at any moment. Shiro himself was tense enough to take on anything, and Keith had his hand near the transportation slot on his suit, ready to call for his sword.

“You are!” Allura shouted excitedly as she threw both hands up by her face, “If you're up to it, form Voltron. I know you can do it.”

Shiro sent Keith a questioning look to which he just nodded and smiled quietly.

“Alright, team,” Shiro smiled as he turned his head to them, “Let's do this.”

As Shiro stood up, Keith got on his own feet. Glancing one more time at the other whose lip curled up in a tiny smirk, Shiro breathed out as he started for the door to take him to the Black Lion. 

“Yeah!” He heard the other four shout as a grin found its way to his mouth again. They could do this.

They did.


End file.
